reichertcarving Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 I found this rock today and was wondering what it is and how it was formed. I have found several that are similar on our property. It almost seems like rocks that are glued together. This one was particularly interesting because of the cracked side. Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Hello, I believe you have a concretion there. It reminds me of Moqui Marbles. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 Ha-ha! Yes, a very weird concretion. I would guess that it formed inside of a void in limestone. Limestone can be dissolved by water, and it makes pockets and holes like Swiss cheese. Then sometimes the reverse happens, and water deposits minerals back into those pockets. That is how I believe this was formed. Sometimes those pockets were started by being fossils, so you will find trhings like this that take the shape of shells or other ancient critters. In this case, I can't see a shape that could have been a critter, so I think it was a random void space in the limestone. Also, the minerals being depositied are ionic... they have electrical charges on them... and that can cause the depositied minerals to take on odd shapes when they become precipitated back out of the water that is carrying them. This forms quasi-crystalized deposits that can almost look like they were created by lifeforms, like those domed shapes on this one. Crystal and mineral growth used to be considered a rather mystical form of life back in the European medieval period. They though the earth was sort of practicing making life forms, because the organized forms that the minerals would take looked like it was trying to grow. Anyway, interesting looking concretion-nodule. Where you find one, you are likely to find more. You also might find some fossils mixed in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reichertcarving Posted October 22, 2016 Author Share Posted October 22, 2016 Thanks for the info! I really enjoy collecting interesting rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 If you keep looking at rocks, eventually you find fossils, whether you are intending to or not. Most people don't even look, and so they are often in obvious places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevonianDigger Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 @Kane, are you thinking what I'm thinking? LOL! Silly jokes aside, those are super neat concretions! Jay A. Wollin Lead Fossil Educator - Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve Hamburg, New York, USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 @DevonianDigger Now I just seem to have a song from the 90s stuck in my head, "Millions of peaches, peaches for free..." @reichertcarving: I'm glad you're not feeling discouraged; not only are some concretions just really neat in their own right from a geological perspective (as well as a learning opportunity), but they've also been known to temporarily fool even the most seasoned expert on occasion, requiring a bit more analysis to confirm the truth. Keep looking - some great fossils might just be the next trip away! ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reichertcarving Posted October 22, 2016 Author Share Posted October 22, 2016 I love the peaches song! I also like walking and looking for rocks, fossils, arrowheads or anything interesting. I won't give up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 I am thinking this one also looks like a low grade agate and not a concretion. Tony Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now